


Sing Me A Lullaby

by batterwitch_dumb_basses



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen, Horrorterrors - Freeform, Past Relationship(s), eridan healing fic, it's in the past though, karkat is freaked out, slight abuse, unhappy eridan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-01 01:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2754431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batterwitch_dumb_basses/pseuds/batterwitch_dumb_basses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eridan was with the horrorterrors in the dreambubbles, and was ripped away from them when the game ended. Now, on a strange mix of Alternia and Earth, Dirk finds him. How badly did those things mess him up?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Come To You In Pieces

Have you ever felt frozen by your own personality? Like you've been trapped in your own past, wrapped tight like spider silk and left to rot by your past and future selves?

Eridan was always cold.

Always staying under the water and away from everything he could since the game restarted, not bothering to treat the cuts and bites the lusii of the new world's ocean gave him. He had broken the gun in his sylladex over his knee when he had realised the game had restarted. He wanted nothing to do with what he had done. He wanted to shed it, but it clung stickily to him and made him feel uneasy in his own skin.

Why should he interact with them? Why give himself over to what everyone wanted to do to him? He'd had some pretty nasty things happen in the dreambubbles. He'd found a giant nest of writhing monstrosities. He didn't think he would be able to find them again, but they had kept him close for over a year whilst he was there, telling him what would happen when the others found him, that he was only lovable by them. He'd been ripped from their grasp when the game ended, but they sung so prettily and the echoes still bounced from the inside of his skull. If he let himself drift, he could hear them more clearly, and he didn't miss them so achingly, and it was while drifting and listening that he bumped into the flat rock connected to a part of the mainland on which someone was sitting.

"Shit, dude!" Hands pulled at him, and he let them drag him. That was what happened with those he missed, the bone white and shadow grey things who had held him and loved him like no one else had or would, as they said themselves.

"Are you alive? Are you even fucking alive..." Pale hands waved in front of his eyes and he blinked slowly, unmoving as he was dragged onto

"...Okay, you're alive. Okay. What the fuck is up with you, man?" Someone was bending over him, so pale. Like one of them. One of them who he had missed so much.

"...sing..." He caught one of the hands with his own. "...sing for me...I missed your kind..."

"Dude. Do I like like an MP3 to you? The fuck do you mean?" Whoever it was slid a hand under his back, and sat him up.

Eridan shivered and felt his eyes sting. They weren't going to sing? He opened his mouth and began to sing one of the melodies he could remember, swooping up and down like a hymn.

The reaction was instant. The person leapt backwards, swearing and shaking, and Eridan fell sideways, still trying to sing the tune. No, this person wasn't one of them, was he? He couldn't tell. Maybe he had forgotten the song? Maybe Eridan was singing it wrong?

They suddenly held him tight, picking him up and pressing a hand against his mouth. He blinked and they pressed his head into their shoulder, whispering at him to be quiet, and he stilled, relaxing into them.

===>

Of all the things that Karkat had expected, Dirk Strider at his door was not very high on the list. After all, Dirk was Dave's older brother, but they didn't usually meet up.

Dirk holding an almost half dead, shivering and drenched Eridan in his arms like he was cradling a newly pupated wiggler wasn't exactly at the top of the list. He stared at Eridan and then back at Dirk before Dirk pushed past him.

"I know the shit everyone did, Karkat. I know what they did but seriously, what the fuck. What the fuck is wrong with you that you didn't think to check on him." Dirk cradled Eridan as he gently put him down on the sofa.

"I don't even know what the fuck you're babbling about, Strider, and if you don't explain quickly, so help me-"

Dirk looked up and took off his glasses. "Shut the fuck up. Get me a first aid kit, and seriously listen when I tell you to." Eridan was clinging to him, not saying anything with a strange expression on his face as Dirk ran a hand gently through his hair.

"S'alright. You're okay. You'll be fine here..." Dirk had an odd way when he spoke to Eridan, a way that went up and down in tone. Eridan relaxed, and Dirk sat next to him on the sofa, always keeping a hand on his hair or face or shoulder, keeping contact.

Were they pale? No, Dirk had a moirail in Roxy. Karkat fetched the huge box he had in the nutrition block and frowned as he set it down.

"What the fuck is going on, and why does Eridan look like he's been through a meat grinder?" He peered at him and handed some antiseptic wipes, and Dirk began gently wiping at some oozing scratches and what looked suspiciously like bites from something large.

"Eridan, huh... Thought he looked familiar. So, okay. Before I tell you anything about that, I need you to listen to Eridan. Alright?" Dirk stared at him through narrowed eyes, and Karkat rolled his eyes.

"Fine, my auditory clots are open for business. In the event of pranking or bullshittery, they will shut down permanently and the largest-"

"Eridan...can you sing for me?" Dirk took Eridan's hand and Eridan cleared his throat, and began to make a little sound in the back of his throat, and a familiar tune poured out.

Oh, fuck. Karkat clasped his hands over his ears and backed away. Horrorterrors. Horrorterrors and their soft, creepy singing and oh, fuck where had Eridan learnt to sing it? Was that Eridan or a horrorterror? He felt his mind spin, and found his wrist caught by Dirk, and his scythe in his hand. He stared at it, wild eyed before turning to Dirk, while Eridan kept singing softly, dragging his breath to mimic the weird noise the horrorterrors were known to make midway through song.

"He's not Eridan. That isn't Eridan. I don't know how the fuck it got here, but that is a fucking horrorterror."

Dirk shook his head. "No. That's Eridan. That is Eridan, and you either deal with it, or I do by myself." He covered Eridan's mouth and Eridan fell silent.

"H-How...What...what even..." Karkat could feel himself shaking and Dirk let his wrist go, picking his shades up from the arm of the sofa and turning them over in his hands.

"First thing he asked me to do when I grabbed him was sing for him. To sing for him. That he'd missed me and others like me." He looked up again. "Don't pretend that you don't know what that means."

Karkat sat down where he was, staring up at Eridan.

"I..." He felt like someone had punched his heart from his chest. "You mean..."

"I mean he thought I was a horrorterror, from the looks of things. He's been with them, who knows for how long. They've been singing to him." Dirk looked at Eridan, moving his hand away from his mouth. "And they fucked up his brain, because he sure as hell doesn't sound like the person I heard about."


	2. I've Lost So Much Along The Way

Karkat didn't know how to feel about this. Eridan was sat looking at him with almost dead eyes, blinking at him with almost recognition. Dirk had his arms around him, in a strange grip that reminded Karkat of the one time he had seen Feferi with her lusus.

"The horrorterrors once caught alternate Roxy in the dreambubbles, and I decided to go rescue her. They don't see anything wrong with keeping hold of people. They think it takes care of them." Dirk sighed. "When I found Roxy, she didn't recognise me, and wouldn't speak. The horrorterrors tried to keep me there as well. They started singing and it sounds terrifying, but then you get used to it. I was there for two hours trying to keep myself from going insane while trying to free Roxy. That Roxy was unlike any other Roxy I ever met afterwards, although I didn't meet many. She didn't talk, but she just stayed wherever you told her to and changed every bubble she entered into an exact replica of where she had been. It was horrible to watch. She'd only been there a week, but whenever I asked for her, they told me the same thing. That she never spoke, and would hit or shoot at you if you spoke near her above a whisper."

"The songs they sing fuck you up in the head. When he began singing I could see them again, but it shows how long he was there. Roxy could manage a few notes of the song, and then she would curl up and not look at anything for days. Kurloz would keep an eye on her when I woke up, as he wouldn't set her off. Eridan can try and sing like them, and that fucking scares the shit out of me because my moirail in an alternate timeline was fucked up by them by staying a week. It isn't even what they sing. It's when they talk to you in whispers, and it's the worst of truths that you lie to yourself about. And God forbid that you actually start listening to them, or believe it when they put negative spins on the shit that keeps you awake at night thinking the world would be better without you. And then they tell you that they love you, and it sounds so genuine, and maybe they do." Dirk looked up at Karkat. "Doesn't matter if they do. Love can be like petrol on a fucking fire. It destroys shit like nothing else. He's still talking, which is a plus and a bad thing all by itself."

Karkat shuddered, imagining his own stupid moirail in the clutches of such things. It made his stomach turn and his instincts twitch with the need to protect Gamzee. The thought of the unstable Capricorn in the hands of such horrible beings – white as a lusus, caring and making you listen to them…

Oh, fuck it all. That wasn't anything anyone should go through, but please, just please, could his stupid pan stop with putting his own moirail in that imaginary situation. He hugged himself miserably.

Eridan had been focusing on Karkat for a while now before shuddering and letting out a nasty little noise, like a harsh bubbling. "….s'gonna kill me, s' Karrrrrr…." He warbled the last bit and Dirk held him tightly.

"He ain't going to kill you, I promise, you trust me…" He pulled Eridan close and Eridan's fins flared a bit before falling flat against his head, as he slumped against the human. Karkat stood wide eyed.

"Eridan. He thinks..he thinks I want to kill him?" He reached out a hand, but Dirk smacked it away without a second thought, or so it would seem.

"Well, no fucking duh. You tried to harvest him with those sickles of yours. No threat there. If he even noticed that, actually…Anyway, Roxy herself got combined with her alternates when the game ended, from what I can tell, but thankfully she doesn't remember that. But there are a few people who do. I know my alternate ecto-female daughter does, for instance. Anyone who went grimdark does."

"Fucking thank you for being so reassuring. And a genuine thank you for not bringing Feferi into it. She actually talked to them without effect, you know? Somehow?"

"Well, if I was her, I wouldn't want to see my ex in pain, no matter if I was their ex. Besides, from what I know, they were childhood friends, and she….she was looking for him. She's worried about him." Dirk sighed. "She, Nepeta and Roxy became really good friends after the game. And since I'm her moirail, we do hang out more often than not, alright?" Dirk sighed.

"Your moirail roped you into a bullshit sleepover."

"Yeah, she did. Shut up. We watched your troll Sailor Moon shit." Eridan was peering over his shoulder at Karkat, once more with little if any recognition. "Feferi doesn't need to see this. She's a nice person."

"If it gets too bad, we need to call her in. She speaks horrorterror. She was, after all, fucking raised by one, you pulsating brainfuck!" Karkat glared. "I just love how sensitive of Feferi's feelings we are being here. She was so fucking totally the only friend Eridan had. It's not like me and him were friends of any nature." He snarled at Dirk, and Eridan blinked again.

Dirk raised an eyebrow. "And look how well you took this."

"Shut the fuck up! Eridan – do you know how much of his bullshit I put up with over the years? I taught him how to woo Vriska in pitch, I fucking held his hand during Troll 50 First Dates, and I brought him ice cream when he was unhappy, I listened to him and blew up Vriska's computer for him! I…I…" Karkat glared at Dirk. "Eridan is my friend, whether I like it or not! And whether you do either—"

"Shut up." Dirk carded a hand through Eridan's hair. "If he was your friend, why the fuck do you let them all talk like that at the gatherings?"

Karkat blinked, and scowled. "Oh, get the fuck off your damn high hoofbeast, Strider! Just tell me how to fucking fix this!"

"….I don't know if you can. Or if I can. We need to know how long he was there before we attempt any shit at all. So message Rose already, because as soon as he realises he doesn't know me and that I'm not what he thinks I am, he's going to flip out and try and stop people from killing him. I believe you went through that carnival of bullshit already."

\- carcinoGeneticist [CG] opened memo FUCKING FOUND HIM -

CG banned CC from responding to the memo!

CG: OKAY, SO FOR EVERYONE'S INFORMATION DIRK FOUND ERIDAN. WHOOP DE FUCKING DO. WELL ACTUALLY, NOT SO MUCH WHOOP DE DOO BECAUSE THIS IS BAD. THIS IS VERY BAD. LIKE ACTUALLY THREATENING TO A LOT OF HAPPINESS BAD

turntechGodhead [TG] responded to memo!

TG: so thats where dirk went good to know tell him congrats on not being swallowed by a sea monster

timaeusTestified [TT] responded to memo!

TT: I'm right here, you know. And this does not look like contacting Rose to me. It looks like opening a memo to whine, as always.

CG: SHUT THE FUCK UP. I'M TRYING TO GET EVERYONE'S OPINION. STOP MAKING FACES AT ME ACROSS THE ROOM.

CG: WHAT IS IT WITH YOUR BLOODLINE AND ACTING LIKE WIGGLERS WHENEVER SOMETHING SERIOUS CROPS UP.

TG: wow is this serious

TG: you two need to tone down the black flirting there are children present

CG: WHAT THE FUCK.

CG: THIS IS NOT BLACK FLIRTING, THIS IS TRYING TO AVERT A BIGGER CRISIS THAN THIS ALREADY IS BECAUSE CERTAIN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FUCKED UP BY HORRORTERRORS.

TG: children i repeat

TG: wait i thought that all the horrorterrors were gone from this place

TG: are we going to be attacked by the weird horrible things again

TG: mayday mayday lalonde where are you

tentacleTherapist [TT2] responded to memo!

TT2: Dave, I appreciate you sending me the link, but…

TT2: Oh. I see, so you found Eridan? What does this have to do with the Eldritch Gods?

CG: PLEASE DON'T CALL THEM GODS AT THE MOMENT. THIS IS NOT THE TIME.

TG: did you say time

CG: IF YOU MAKE ONE SINGLE SHITTY PUN I WILL LEVITATE FROM PURE WRITHING RAGE AND RIP YOUR SPLEEN FROM YOUR WOEFULLY INADEQUATELY SHELLED HUMAN BODY AND USE IT TO STRANGLE YOUR BREATH FROM YOUR THROAT

TG: man aspect puns are the best though

TT: Dude, can you tone it down for now? We have a real situation on our hands here.

TT: Okay, so there's a long explanation and a short one. For once, I think the short one will do. Eridan has been compromised.

TT2: What do the 'horrorterrors' have to do with this?

CG: TRY EVERY SINGLE THING. HE'S BEEN LEFT WITH THEM IN THE DREAMBUBBLES. AND HE'S SINGING.

TG: holy shit

TG: that is not good

TG: that is the opposite of good

TG: lalonde help me out here

TT2: It's very, very bad. Eridan was already somewhat unstable anyway. Has he tried to kill anyone yet?

TT: Karkat tried to kill him, does that count?

CG: WOULD YOU SHUT YOUR WINDHOLE ABOUT THAT ALREADY. I THOUGHT HE WAS A REAL ONE WEARING ERIDAN'S CARCASS. AND NO. HE THINKS WE WANT TO KILL HIM FOR SOME REASON.

TT2: Well, while you may not have noticed, a lot of your fellow trolls do tend to talk about punishing him for what he's done.

TG: travwolta excepted

TT2: Ah, that's a point. Cronus might be a good person to tell. He's one of the few of you who is genuinely fond of Eridan.

TT: I guess. They are kind of brothers, after all. In the same weird way as ectobiology.

CG: WHAT DO YOU MEAN? FOR FUCK'S SAKES, WOULD SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON ALREADY? DIRK ALREADY MADE A WEIRD REFERENCE TO IT AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON.

TG: gamzee is the only murderous troll to receive the magic of friendship and forgiveness

TG: even if fishtroll didnt hang out a lot of people blame him

TG: were talking magical beat ups from certain people

TG: they dont like him any more than they did before

CG: WELL, FUCK.

CG: THAT MAKES THINGS HARDER FOR US ALL.

TT2: Might I come over to visit Eridan? I remember a little of the language.

CG: SURE. WHATEVER. FUCK, I NEED TIME TO THINK.

TT: Hurry it up. He's started to sing again.

CG: OH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. I CANNOT CATCH A FUCKING BREAK.


	3. I'm Here Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Cronus.

Eridan was still sitting on the sofa on Dirk’s lap, singing quietly. Dirk didn’t actually seem to react to this, sitting still and still running a hand through Eridan’s hair, but after watching him for a minute Karkat could see him shaking a bit. This probably reminded him of Roxy, really, even if Eridan seemed happy enough sat there. Dirk looked up from what he was doing to look in Karkat’s direction with a hint of a smile.   
“You gonna tell Cronus then?” he asked, casually, eyes barely discernible behind those god-awful shades of his, and Karkat shuddered. Eridan’s dancestor wasn’t exactly his favourite person, and talking to him had never been very high on Karkat’s List Of Happy Things He Liked To Do. It was probably in the same freefalling place as Letting Jake Pick A Movie.  
Dirk pulled his shades down a little so that Karkat could see he was rolling his eyes. “Aw, come off it, he can’t be that bad…”  
“The fucker hits on everyone, and thinks that Kankri is the Troll Sandy to his Troll Danny Zuko. I don’t want to talk to him more than I have to.” He sat down next to Dirk, looking at Eridan. “It sucks. This totally sucks, and….”  
“There isn’t a thing you can do, Vantas. Rose can, maybe—“ Eridan stirred at the name, burrowing into Dirk’s shoulder.  
The room flickered slightly and Dirk turned his attention upwards, frowning. “Man, your lights are shitty! You need these replacing….” He looked down slowly, lips twitching. “I mean, can’t you reach? I’ll change them for you if you’re completely helpless….” He grinned at Karkat. “Or, you know. If you really can’t reach, I’ll lift you up on my shoulders so you can.”  
Karkat gritted his teeth. “I do own such a fucking thing as a stepladder! And they aren’t that shitty, you piece of pulsating douchefuckery. They’re good quality!” He hissed the last part, threatening.  
Eridan twitched at the noise, and stopped singing, instead flicking his fins up and down a little. Dirk sighed, petting his hair to calm the seadweller down.  
“Least you’re good for getting him to stop singing, but exactly how much good is frightening him going to do?” He moved Eridan so he was no longer on his lap but leaning against his side, starting to talk to him quietly with the same toning. “He isn’t going to hurt you, I won’t let him, I promise.” Karkat looked sharply away, rubbing at his eyes. Fucking hell, why did Eridan have to like Dirk in this state? Why didn’t he realise that Karkat wouldn’t have hurt him? The most horrible bit was that it made sense to Karkat that Eridan would think he might. He’d threatened him before, and Eridan had always been ever so slightly scared, sometimes.

Eridan sat up more, and patted Dirk’s face gently, fingers skittering over the glasses and humming the tune again, before stopping. “Missed you…” he said gently, almost quietly as he then settled down again, and Dirk sighed, hugging him tightly. This kid didn’t deserve to have this happen, and he pulled up Pesterchum on his portable computer (It was an outdated piece of shit, but it worked). If Karkat wasn’t going to try it, he would.

timaeusTestified [TT] began pestering corneredAlluring [CA]

TT: Hey. 

CA: vwhat brings you around here chief?

CA: havwe you got that second movwie you vwere talking about? or you after something from me?

TT: Shut up and sit down. This is serious. This is all kinds of serious and I’m pretty damn sure you aren’t going to like it due to personal reasons and the fact that everyone would think it was bad news. It sounds like good news.

TT: But it isn’t.

CA: i havwe honestly no idea vwhat you’re talking about.

TT: We found Eridan.

CA: holy shit.

CA: is he okay? 

CA: can i talk to him? Is he evwen alivwe? i’m going to kill you if he’s dead!

CA: fuck, ansvwer me! vwhere did you find him?

TT: I found him on the little rock thing near my sweet as shit house. I thought he was dead at first, but he was just letting me drag him ashore.

TT: And then he sung like a fucking horrorterror, Cronus. We’re at Karkat’s place, and I think you really need to see this for yourself.

CA: a horrorterror

CA: vwhat do you mean like a horrorterror vwhat the hell

TT: I mean that he’s been with them somehow. He’s been with them for fuck knows how long, and he’s now afraid of Karkat, so fuck knows what they told him while he was there, but anyone who is actually from his group aside from Karkat might want to really kill him while he’s in this state. Kanaya aside.

CA: are you telling me those fucking monstrosities screwved him up?

CA: FOR FUCKS SAKES 

TT: Are you coming over or not?

CA: of fucking COURSE i’m coming ovwer

corneredAlluring [CA] stopped pestering timaeusTestified [TT]

Dirk looked over to Karkat. “Hey. Vantas. Incoming Cronus.” Eridan frowned and blinked a few times, while the lights flickered again. Karkat turned to them with a horrified look on his face.

“Are you telling me he’s coming here?” he hissed, before looking at Eridan with an odd look on his face as the room flickered again. “Hey, looks like he recognised the name that time.”

Eridan seemed to be flicking his fins a little, and looked around, before Dirk patted his shoulder. “Yeah, he ain’t here yet. He’ll be here soon, alright?” he said softly, and Eridan burrowed his head back into his shoulder with an unhappy whine.

Karkat huffed and hunched up. “Why the fuck does he not think Cronus will kill him?” he grumbled, and Dirk shrugged, handing his little computer to Eridan, who pulled up a few programs while Dirk was talking with Karkat.

“Maybe because Cronus wouldn’t kill anything he had the slightest chance with, maybe because Cronus was nice to him after Eridan was dead because of murderous shenanigans? Who knows. He might freak out once he sees Cronus, after all.” He glanced down, and stared at the screen of the computer.

“Eridan. What are you doing?” he asked, quietly, and Karkat frowned.

“What is he doing?” he asked, and Dirk shrugged carefully.

“Writing, it looks like. Might as well let him, he’s got little else safe for him to do, after all.” He looked down again and blinked.

“It’s….Okay, that looks good. Can’t deny it.” He started reading over Eridan’s shoulder and Karkat threw his hands up in the air.

“You’re both idiots!” he growled, and Eridan wobbled upwards, and handed Dirk the computer vaguely before growling low at Karkat, ear fins flared out. Karkat swore very softly, backing up to bump against the table.

“Strider, make yourself at least one iota of the usefulness Fate in all her mistaken glory decided to put you on your Earth before booting you here, and tell him to calm down!” he hissed, and Eridan began to growl loudly again before Dirk lifted him up bodily, patting his fins gently until Eridan curled up in his arms again, contentedly.

“I think Fate just saved your ass, Crabby.” He smirked and Karkat flipped him off, moving around to sit at his husktop again, glaring over at him as Eridan began to purr to Dirk.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] re-opened memo FUCKING FOUND HIM!

turntechGodhead [TG] responded to memo!

TG: is everything alright in horroterror seatroll world

CG: NOTE TO ALMOST FUCKING EVERYONE WHO MIGHT DO THIS.

CG: DO NOT, I REPEAT NOT, ANTAGONISE ERIDAN OR THREATEN DIRK IN HIS PRESENCE, BECAUSE IT COULD END BADLY FOR EVERYONE. UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE GROWLED AT, CLAWED AT, AND TURNED INTO A WOEFULLY FLESHY HEAP OF CORPSE, ROTTING GENTLY IN MY HIVE AND BECOMING A VISUAL REMINDER TO ALL FUCKING IDIOTS AFTERWARDS.

CG: OF COURSE, IF THAT IS YOUR FUCKED UP DESIRE, DO THAT, AND I WILL ENSURE YOUR MORONITY IS PREACHED TO THE WIDE AND ENDLESS SKIES AT YOUR FUNERAL, AND WATCH AS KANAYA AND DIRK STRIFE IN AN ATTEMPT TO WEIGHT THEIR VIEWS UPON ERIDAN’S FATE.

TG: why are you telling me this

CG: WHY THE FUCK DO YOU THINK. YOU LEFT….RECEPTACLES ALL OVER THE PLACE ON THE METEOR AND NEARLY CAUSED KANAYA A SMALL CATATONIC STATE AS WELL AS INCITING MY WELL DESERVED RAGE. FUCK YOU AND YOUR FOOD COLOURING.

CG: ALSO ESPECIALLY YOU, BECAUSE WHETHER YOU TWO ADMIT IT OR NOT YOU AND DIRK CARE FOR EACH OTHER, AND IF HE THROWS HIMSELF BETWEEN ERIDAN AND YOU HE WILL BE CONFLICTED.

CG: ERIDAN WOULD BE HORRIFIED IF HE HURT HIM, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, AND THEN IF DIRK’S DEAD THERE IS NO ONE ERIDAN TRUSTS. I’M PRETTY SURE HE ISN’T GOING TO TRUST ROSE AFTER THE WHOLE EXPLODING LAPTOP SHIT.

TG: man, that sucks so much

TG: here i was planning to bait the fishtroll

TG: top of my list of things to do

TG: right below fuck over karkat as much as possible

TG: wow this glowing characterisation is blinding me so glad i have a pair of unironic shades

TG: i didn’t know you cared for me so much kitkat i’m touched  
TG: dont you have to buy me dinner first though ooh mr vantas

Karkat shut his husktop screen carefully, trying not to scream aloud. Why was Dave such an asshole? That glittering fuck needed to stop antagonising him before he snapped, because snapping involved growling and somebody wasn’t good around growling. He almost wept from rage when the doorbell (he had truly never realised that piece of shit was this level of annoying) began to ring continuously, and marched forward, flinging the door open.

“WHAT? WHAT THE FUCK IS IT NOW, O UNIVERSE, YOU BITCH IN LEAGUE WITH THAT MALICIOUS FUCKER THAT IS KARMA?” he screamed, before he was shoved out of the way, and a blur in a white t-shirt rushed into his hive.

“Eridan? Eridan!” Cronus sat next to Dirk, flicking his fins at Eridan, who blinked and tilted his head before flicking his fins back, as Cronus crushed him into a hug.

“Oh, fuck, it’s gonna be okay, alright?” the older troll said, and Karkat blinked. He hadn’t really realised it….but it looked a hell of a lot like Cronus actually was worried for Eridan. Eridan snuggled into him like a wriggler with its lusus, and Dirk looked over at Cronus with a little nod, letting go of Eridan’s shoulder to let him hug Cronus close.  
At least now there was someone else Eridan trusted.


	4. Like Puzzle Pieces In Your Hand

Rose smoothed down the skirt of the dark dress that she had not worn in quite a while. It brought back haunting memories of the sweet song that cradled you like a lullaby. Shaking her head, she tapped lightly on the door, and listened, hearing footsteps, and the door opening to reveal an exhausted Karkat.  
“Hello, Lalonde….” he said, wearily waving at her. She smiled at him, tilting her head to one side.  
“Hello, Karkat. How is Eridan doing?” she asked, stepping past him, and uncovering the basket she had brought, containing a few blankets. “Kanaya was insistent I bring these to you as I was dropping by. She says that it’s going to get colder.” She handed him the basket and stepped into the other room, looking over at the sofa where Dirk had Eridan sat on his lap again, and Cronus could be heard from the nutrition block singing what sounded like a surprisingly good version of ‘Devil In Disguise’, although where he had heard it, she could only guess.  
“Hey, Rosie,” Dirk said softly, raising a finger to his lips, and she glanced down to see that Eridan was asleep, fins flicking as he slept.  
“How often has he been falling asleep like that?” she asked, sitting next to Dirk as gently as she could. It was better to gain an idea of what Eridan was like, before trying to talk to him in the language he had obviously learned.  
“He sleeps and wakes, but I thought it might be a better idea for him to be asleep at the moment. He just acts weird, but after Cronus arrived he got a lot calmer.” Dirk sighed. “They started talking with that flicky fin thing, whatever the shit that is actually called, and then Cronus said that Eridan says he’s finally found home again. He called it home, okay? No one should consider that home. No one. I don’t even want to know how bad it got that he actually thought it was a good place to be.”  
Rose stared at the sleeping troll, noting how thin and worn he looked. “Dave was the one I talked to about what happened with me, and his term for it was rather concise. Headfuckery. They draw out the bad things in life you’ve been through, and the bad things you have done. They make you feel like you cannot be loved, and with me, they angered me so that I might seek revenge without a plan, and I believe that they fed off of my inner chaos. Although I had not done much considered bad, they soon convinced me that I had somehow been at fault, for not looking for her. With Eridan, they wished to keep him close, although for what reasons we may never know, and it looks like they convinced him of something. I don’t know what, but I would guess it was something to do with how others perceive him - we both know how well that goes, after all.”  
She saw Eridan blinking a little, and began to sing the most soothing song she had learnt from the horrorterrors, the one that had lulled her into sleep now and then. Eridan crooned it back at her, much better at singing it than she was, and she could vaguely hear the higher notes of the song which a human would not be able to reach. Eridan soon fell asleep again, hand reaching out to hold Rose’s sleeve as he did so.  
“He seems to really care for the Elder Circle…” she whispered, and Dirk nodded.  
“Good luck getting your sleeve back, by the way. He very much cares for them. He misses them, I think.” He petted the purple streak gently, and Eridan chirped in his sleep. “So what’s with the magical sleepy tune? If I didn’t have an immunity to sleep sometimes…”  
“If you didn’t exist solely on energy drinks and snack foods, you mean. It’s got a certain frequency that sends most humanoid life forms in a close vicinity to sleep, and besides that is laced usually with a little magic. Mine doesn’t work with magic, but with Eridan’s, I am unsure. Cronus seems unaffected, but that is probably due to him being in the kitchen.”  
The edge of Dirk’s mouth quirked upwards. “Yes, lucky for him, although of course not for our ears. However…”  
Rose looked over at Karkat, who had sat down to mess about with the computer and was now taking an impromptu nap on the keyboard. “Oh…” She began to smile. “Oh, dear. That was not my intent at all.”  
Dirk waved a hand. “Leave him. He could do with a nap after everything he’s been through today. After all, imagine if this was Jade or John or even Dave who turned up to your house in this state, and you discovered everyone in your group might try and kill them if they saw them in this state. For them, I know it’s unlikely…”  
Rose felt a lump rise in her throat and a deep feeling of sadness as she looked down at the seatroll in Dirk’s lap. “But for him, it isn’t, is it? And they’d see it as justice for what he did anyway. Kanaya isn’t as nasty as the others about it, seeing as she gets along with Gamzee, but…” She felt her eyes sting and looked away.  
Cronus wandered through with a plate of something that smelled rather nice and looked to be fishy, looking down at Eridan and shaking his shoulder gently. “Hey, Eri. Vwake up nowv, c’mon.”   
Eridan blinked awake, looking at the plate in front of him with confusion until Cronus started flicking his fins, holding a hand out, and Eridan slid from Dirk’s lap, letting go of Rose after a moment’s hesitation to hold on to Cronus’ arm as the older troll led him to the table, sitting down and holding onto Cronus with one hand as he ate carefully with the other. Dirk kept watching, and nudged Rose, pointing to Eridan.  
“Now he’s decided that you’re one, okay? He didn’t really seem to recognise you, which I guess is good. But….well, earlier, me and Cronus found out he’ll go with Cronus as long as I’m watching, but he’ll come back and sit with me if I look away. I guess it’s a trust thing, but it’s a start. If you look away he’ll come back and sit with you and try and make sure you aren’t upset.” Dirk kept looking at Eridan as he said this, and Rose turned her attention to the seatroll as well.  
“That’s rather fascinating. He’s keeping contact with us as well as Cronus…It might mean that he was physically close to the Elders. Have you found anything else out from him?”  
Dirk thought for a minute. “No, I don’t think so…Oh, wait. He was writing something on my computer before, something about ‘the darkness’, some shit like that. Like a poem or something.”  
Rose narrowed her eyes, still looking at Eridan. “Could you mail me a copy? I’d like to analyse it when I get back home, and see if it matches up with my memories of what the Elders are like. It could be useful when diagnosing what happened.”  
Dirk nodded slowly. “Soon as he’s done with this, I’ll see if I can get him back to sleep and mail you the copy. Are you going to be back soon?”  
Rose blinked for a minute. “Of course. I can’t really talk to him properly in this state, and until he starts recovering properly, anything I say could make him worse or send him back to square one. The writing is more likely some subconscious impulse to tell people what happened, after all, but we need to focus on healing him first.”  
“Good. I’ll message everyone later, because I’m staying here with the kid for the moment.” Dirk lowered his shades slightly as he said it.   
“Oh, I would have suggested you do so anyway. Even if Cronus stays here, he needs one of us here, and I need to be away to analyse my data. Besides, someone needs to keep him calm around Karkat, and from what you were saying you did manage to do so.”  
Dirk nodded, letting his arms fall to the side as Cronus led Eridan back over, and sat down with Eridan next to him. Eridan reached out to hold on to Dirk’s arm, looking over at Rose.  
Sighing softly, she leant over. “I will be back soon, alright?” she asked, dipping her voice up and down like the Elder Gods would, and his fins went flat against his head.   
“Soon?”   
Cronus looked down at Eridan, surprised the other had even spoke, but Rose nodded, cupping Eridan’s cheek like she might do to a young child, or like a horrorterror would to someone in their grasp. The action itself brought memories of phantom tentacles at her own face, and she struggled not to shudder.  
“Soon, little one. I will return, I promise you…” She stood up, and started to walk to the door, trying not to let herself shake until the door was shut behind her.  
timaeusTestified [TT2] started pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]  
TT2 sent file ‘Eridan’s Writing’ [doc]  
TT2: Feast your eyes on that little snippet, Rosie.  
TT: Did he only just fall asleep?  
TT2: Yeah, it’s like having a giant toddler on my lap. You alright?  
TT: Yes. A little shaken, admittedly, but I assure you I will get over it.  
TT2: Good to hear. Eridan was a little restless after you left. It didn’t help that Karkat’s light bulbs keep flickering like they’re about to die. Cronus woke up Karkat after a little while of covering him in marshmallows, so at least I was amused by the sight of Karkat trying to hit him with a spatula.  
TT: Were any marshmallows saved?  
TT2: It was a massacre.  
TT: I see. Thank you for attempting to cheer me up, Dirk.  
TT2: No problem, Rosie.   
timaeusTestified [TT2] stopped pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've just been watching the new artfulImpersonator video. Ahhh...  
> Yay.  
> I've gotten to the point in my studies where I am surviving on tropical juice and Toffee Kitkats.


	5. A Broken Mess

The prince stood on the edge of life

and then they wwere there, the monsters. the old ones

he'd fallen a long time ago but noww he literally fell to them

they curled him close and taught him about colours fadin

colours no matter howw high wwere arranged in front of him and they all faded to wwhite and black

they said there was a princess wwho had been ripped from their arms by a thief in the night wwho wwore the crowwn of royalty

and they taught him to sing to them

and deep deep dowwn he could feel himself drowwnin as they sang

'tears are happiness' they tell him

'lovve is all wwe givve an ask for' they tell the prince an he loses wwhat he wwas

because lovve has always been doomed for him

he wwas arrogant an lost

they havve found him and remade him

they tell him as much

an he remembers wwhat the others did

an her

the one with the teeth and anger in her eyes the one he killed

he doesn't wwant to be left alone with his deep colour paintin the floor again

time an again he had been found and bitten apart by her

left alone an then

she looks at him wwith no remorse

like it was a mercy he has been allowwed to die

an he wwas alone after that

he remembers fingers scraping his gills raww and open

blue tinted gloww in his brain that makes him givve up

he remembers nails digging into him

an he remembers wwhat they all wwere like

they promise he wwill nevver be alone an then

he wwakes up on his old place an they are gone

he looks evverywwhere for them

theyre gone

an he drifts

an then he is found again

 

Rose closed her husktop, shivering as she sits there, and Kanaya looked across and the feeling of the fear makes Rose flinch a little. Kanaya stared at her and then moved across to stand by her matesprit, hands folded and eyes wide with concern.

"What's wrong?" she asked gently, and Rose shook her head, trying not to tell her. She wasn't silly enough to think that telling everyone was the best thing to do.

"I…I'm sorry, Kanaya. I can't tell you yet." She felt long graceful arms wrap around her in a familiar hug and relaxed into it, letting Kanaya hug her close as she shivered again. "I'm afraid of what might have been caused by not looking out for everyone…"

She felt Kanaya freeze. "We know where everyone is except for one person, Rose…" she said slowly. "Do you mean what I think you're saying?"

Rose looked up at her. "We….found him, Kanaya. I mean…"

Kanaya looked down. "I knew he couldn't be alright. I apologise, Rose, I should have gone looking for him—"

Rose shook her head. "He is at Karkat's now…But it was worse than we thought, Kanaya." She pulled the other girl gently to sit on her lap, burying her nose for comfort in her shoulder blade. "He…fell through the bubbles somehow. They…the horrorterrors took him in. They took 'care' of him." She let Kanaya move so she was more comfortable and opened the husktop again, watching Kanaya's face go pale as she read through the little bit of writing.

"That….that's me….he…he's scared of me. He…." A translucent jade tear slid down her cheek. "Oh, oh no. No. I knew that he didn't cut those on a hunting mission!" She traced the words on-screen with a finger, and growled, wriggling from Rose's arms.

"I have something to talk to someone about, dearest. Be back soonest."

====>

Vriska fell to the ground as Kanaya rubbed her stinging knuckles. "What the hell?" she shouted, eyes glaring up at the jadeblood stood over her with bared teeth and a growl rumbling in her throat.

"You deserved that!" she howled. "I knew it, when you two began to include me less often! You….how dare you? We all know he was stuck up and all the stuff he pulled even before the game, but his gills? The things he needs to fucking breathe?!"

She didn't care that the cerulean was gaping at her swearing, and simply glared until Vriska began to brush herself down.

"Soooooooo, you found Eridork? Why's he been snivelling to you when we're over?" Vriska stood up, glaring at Kanaya. "Tell him—"

"He hasn't. I just figured it out. Rose has been reading me some books about Earth, and the most recent had a section on abusive relationships-"

"Oh, bluh bluh. You and your sappy, soft little human. Give it a rest." Vriska sneered up at her. "So you haven't found him? He's probably crawling around the ocean and wallowing in his self-inflicted misery." She laughed, and Kanaya resisted the urge to punch her again.

Vriska began to walk off. Seriously, what a joke! Anyone would have realised it was her back in that time who'd left the marks on Eridan's gills. It was such a deliciously pitch thing in her eyes to do. Every time he wanted to go swimming, he couldn't, and she was the cause.

What the hell had she even meant by 'abusive'? The term twisted something in Vriska's stomach, and she gulped as she walked away. It was something she had heard sometimes when Terezi had been diligently following off-world court cases. Usually cases of…

Of caliginous romances taken too far. But Kanaya hadn't really even ever had a crush in spades. She didn't even know what she was talking about! Besides, it was hardly like Eridan was running away from her. He always came slithering back like the despicable worm he was when they were together. It was more pathetic than hateable, so she'd dropped him. Except for those fun few times in the dreambubbles, where it didn't really matter anyway.

She rolled her eyes. And Fussyfangs making such a big deal over it!

====>

Dirk woke up, blinking, curled up uncomfortably on the sofa with a blanket pulled over him. Huddled against his side was a fast asleep Eridan, whose horns dug lightly into his shoulder and whose fins were wavering in his sleep. Someone had dabbed sopor on his face, and apparently it was helping him sleep, because he wasn't doing the twitching, maiming and whimpering actions Dirk had come to associate with daymares after Meenah fell asleep without a coon while visiting him and Dave.

"Good mornin', sleeping beauties!" Cronus whispered, sing-songing the words almost snarkily. A purple spatula-shaped bruise had bloomed overnight on his cheek, and Dirk couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Ah, go boil your head," Cronus said, lightheartedly. "Yeah, Vwantas Junior vwasn't exactly happy to vwake up all mallovwed. Eri vwoke up partvway through the night, an' I told him to go back to sleep until you vwoke up. Is he still asleep?"

Dirk rubbed his eyes with one hand. "How the hell are you this coherent this early?" he grumbled, and looked down when Eridan shifted, eyes sliding open and fins flattening as he yawned.

"Mornin'…" the smaller troll whispered, bleary eyed and blinking. Something about it reminded Dirk of a little kid, and this was what got him to manage a smile as he looked down.

"Mornin' right back at you. You sleep alright?" he asked, letting the pitch waver a little as a horrorterror might speak with a human vocal range. Eridan smiled at him and sat up, as Cronus waved from where he was.

"Aight. So. You doin' breakfast yet?"

Eridan went quiet, and looked up at Dirk as if asking for permission. Permission to go eat…Dirk nodded.

It still didn't strike him as fair that it had happened to this kid. What the hell even went through those monstrosities' brains to treat anyone like this? Eridan sloped into the nutrition block, keeping one hand on Cronus' arm as he did so, and a groaning followed by a 'fuckitall' alerted them to Karkat's finally waking up, followed by a shuffling of feet and Karkat appearing dressed in his usual attire.

"Gog. I hate you all. Why are you still here, Ampora Senior?"

Cronus turned around, frowning. "Man, you say that like I'm actually fuckin' old."

"You say that like you fucking aren't. Make me some coffee if you're using my kitchen." Karkat shuffled towards his husktop, opening it up. "I just hope nothing else goes wrong already…Well, fuck. I have Kanaya messages and Spiderbitch messages. Lucky me. Okay, so Rose got upset by whatever the fuck it was and Kanaya—"

Eridan was whimpering loudly, and Cronus had his hands over his dancestor's earfins. "Yo, Crabby, can you not mention the K vword? Eri's freakin'."

"Well, shit." Karkat turned around. "Calm him down, then. There's alchemized pop-tarts on top of the thermal hull."

A quiet munching a few minutes later indicated it would be safe to carry on.

"So, GA, let's say, has messaged saying she's sorry to hear what's happened to Eridan, and that it's probably best given the circumstances that she doesn't visit."

Dirk snorted. "Yeah, given the circumstances, I would say so. So what does Vriska say?"

"To check my phone. What the fuck, I don't even use the thing…" He turned to press a button on a little blinking machine with a purple plastic crab on the top of it. "What the fuck does she even want?"

"Heyyyyyyyy, Karcrabby! If you're done with whatever loser bullshit you're getting on with at the minute, I neeeeeeeed to talk to you about matters Dualoser!" The slightly whiny voice filled the apartment and a loud shriek filled the air, one that rose in pitch. The lights began flickering quickly as Vriska's voice filled the room, and then the darkness began to last longer.

Water. Water was everywhere, except not, and Karkat shouted in fear while Cronus looked around. Eridan clung to him, and still the noise left his mouth while Dirk stood where he was. They were….in a bubble. Underwater, with huge white lusii swimming around their (fragile-looking) bubble, snapping their teeth. And purple tears were sliding down Eridan's cheeks as he hid behind Cronus, who was trying to shush him and looking terrified. Dirk turned to Eridan.

"Take us back!"

Eridan shut his mouth, and like that, they were back in the living room, as the beep of the answering machine indicated the message had finished and the kettle boiled.

"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?" Karkat screeched, and Eridan wailed, earfins flat against his neck as if to cover his gills as his shoulders heaves and the same purple tears trickled down his cheeks. Dirk moved over quickly to cradle him, to tell him it was all right – just as Cronus was doing- in soft, lilting tones, before turning to Karkat.

"Looks like you have a couple of questions to ask Spiderbitch."


	6. Just Scattered Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vriska and Eridan come clean, after a fashion. CronKri happens at the end.

Vriska lounged at home, rolling her eyes at her computer, while holding a thermal hull soother to her cheek. Karkat had yet to call back, and she was slowly being bored out of her fucking skull.  
It still hurt where she’d been hit by Kanaya, and it rankled that Kanaya was taking the side of that stupid semi-aquatic shitty loser over her former moirail! A growl rose in her throat, and she wondered briefly about throwing her husktop out of the window, but fixing it and getting Sollux and Equius to help her would leave her in their stupid debt, and she didn’t exactly find herself fond of that notion. Last time, Equius had confiscated her arm for a week, and was so horrendously smug about it that she had only just been able to hold herself back from punching him with the reminder that she would probably break her fist if she tried.   
As she sat up to retrieve a book, she saw her husktop flashing the little light on the side. A message! Scrambling up, she sat in her chair, opening the tab up with a sapphire-painted smile.  
CG: YOU HAVE SOME ANSWERS FOR ME.  
CG: BEFORE YOU DO THAT WRIGGLER BULLSHIT OF ‘I ASKED FIRST’ AND WHINE LIKE THE ANNOYING BULLSHITTER YOU CAN BE, SHUT THE LIVID FUCK UP AND RIDDLE ME THIS. YOU LIKE RIDDLES, DON’T YOU? YOU HUNG OUT WITH THAT MILKSHAKE TALKING PIECE OF SHIT LONG ENOUGH, AFTER ALL.  
CG: WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ERIDAN THAT HE’S UPSET AT HEARING JUST YOUR FUCKING VOICE, VRISKA?  
CG: AS IN HE COMPLETELY FLIPPED OUT. WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?  
AG: Awwwwwwww, he’s just a sore loser! ::::( and you found him? Wow. I wouldn’t have thought he would go running like a 8ark8east to you of all people. He’s such a fucking wriggler!  
CG: NO, YOU VENEMOUS LITTLE PSYCHO, THIS IS WAY BEYOND ‘SORE LOSER’  
CG: THIS IS PURE TERROR, AND WHILE TAVROS MIGHT BE LIKE THAT NATURALLY AROUND YOU, I’VE NEVER SEEN ERIDAN IN THIS STATE EVER. ALTHOUGH I THINK I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY KANAYA WENT ASHEN FOR YOU TWO.  
AG: Harsh! It’s just him 8eing a wriggler, like I said! I don’t want to spill the lurid d8ails of the pathetic sp8des we used to have!  
CG: …WAIT.  
CG: THIS IS A RESULT OF YOUR KISMESSITUDE WITH HIM? YOU MEAN YOU DID SOMETHING?  
AG: Ewwwwwwww! Asking me a8out personal matters? Rude!  
AG: To 8e 8RUTALLY HONEST, I don’t want to tell you! 8ut I’ll say this – he’s never 8een equal to me. I had to make him realise that.  
AG: I think leaving your kismesis with a lasting scar is a 8eautifully pitch thing to do!  
CG: YOU BITCH.  
CG: YOU COLD-HEARTED, SLIMY, DEVIOUS BITCH.  
CG: YOU DON’T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT SPADES.  
CG: I BET THAT YOU BEAT HIM UP LIKE THE LOW, SNIVELLING, SELF-CENTRED BITCH WE ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE. I’M GLAD ARADIA HANDED YOUR ASS TO YOU IN THE GAME.  
AG: Haaaaaaaarsh, Vantas! ::::O  
AG: I tried to 8etter him, 8ut he wouldn’t learn! A kism8sis is m8nt to 8e 8etter after you try!  
AG: So he had to 8e taught in different w8ys!   
CG: YOU’RE SICK. YOU DESERVE WHATEVER HAPPENS TO YOU.  
AG: W8ll, Fussyf8ngs alr8dy punched me, s8 f8ck y8u! >::::(  
CG: GOOD. I HOPE IT BRUISES FOR ETERNITY.  
carcinoGeneticist [CG] stopped trolling arachnidsGrip [AG]  
====>  
Karkat stood up shakily, finding his cheeks damp. If Vriska admitted to that much, with her being as she was, that probably meant that she’d been pretty horrible to Eridan.  
Not horrible. That was the wrong word. Abusive. Fucking abusive. Shit. And it sure as hell looked like Kanaya in all her ashen glory hadn’t picked up on it. Why had Eridan tried to carry on their kismessitude?  
Cronus sat glaring over at the computer every few minutes, Eridan curled like a newly-pupated wriggler in his lap with his earfins twitching frantically. Cronus’ would flick back at him slowly, and purple tears soaked through the white shirt again and again from the troll. If Vriska had hurt Eridan badly, the horrorterrors would have completely latched onto that.  
Who knows what sort of thing he would have expected to happen to him if he were found.   
He approached Eridan slowly, as Dirk stayed sitting next to him. Something cold curled in Karkat when he saw the human holding Eridan’s hand. He didn’t know whether it was disgust, relief, or something else.  
He didn’t want to know.  
“What’s he saying, Ampora the Elderly?” he asked gruffly, and Cronus looked over at him.  
“Don’t call me….Ah. nevwer mind. He’s tellin’ me what she did to him. You want me to repeat the okay bits?” he asked in a tone way too gentle for him.  
Karkat nodded slowly. T here was no going back now. He couldn’t watch Eridan wailing like he had, couldn’t see him crying like this again, with his shoulders shaking and thin hands clinging to Cronus’ shirt. He didn’t want to be taken underwater again, either. The memory of the lusii circling the bubble made him shiver horribly, and he gestured for Cronus to continue.  
“She made him drink his own blood. She beat him up when they were in contact, and scratched him up. She told him some nasty shit, and to be honest, she got vworse in the bubbles. His fault, everything his fault – you get the gist. Basically all the stuff they tell you at the Quadrants Class not to do to your kismesis evwer, and that’s the repeatable stuff. If she ever bothered to go to that class, she wasn’t payin’ any attention. It’s like…vwhat little vwrigglers think hate is. Maybe.”  
“The okay bits….the repeatable stuff? What the shitmongering hell is that meant to mean?”  
Dirk looked up at him. “Use your brain, Vantas. Spades can go more wrong than just a few scars.” He rubbed his thumb soothingly in a circle over the back of Eridan’s hand. Karkat suddenly felt sicker than when he was talking to Vriska. The back of his throat went sour and he rushed to the sink, heaving and coughing up vomit, feeling it burn and feeling his eyes sting with forced tears.  
Dirk was there suddenly, rubbing circles mechanically in his back until he was done throwing up into the sink. “She hurt him, Vantas. That’s all we need to know to kick her ass.” His expression was unreadable behind his shades.  
Eridan looked over to them, and blinked, before shuffling over to them and taking hold of Karkat’s hand hesitantly, looking up at him. The cool sensation of his cold hand brought Karkat a little way back into reality, and he looked dazedly at the seatroll, whose lowered eyelids made his heart feel like it was just starting to break.  
“You’re angry again…”  
Dirk and Cronus stared at him, at Eridan, who wasn’t freaking out, but holding Karkat’s hand and looking at him with such a calm and peaceful expression. Karkat felt his bloodpusher crack just a little more. This stupid idiot had always been a pest, but now…he wanted Eridan as he had been back – bitching about something, whining at him, not this broken thing that made him feel hollowed out from guilt. It was like talking to a shell of his former friend.  
“Yeah. I’m angry.”  
Eridan nodded, and squeezed Karkat’s hands. “Kar…You used to be so angry all the time…Remember…” His eyes flickered, and Karkat hesitated before placing his hand on Eridan’s shoulder. What the hell was he meant to say to that? That Eridan should remember, should be unhappy for what he did when he’d been…going through hell.   
Dirk stepped forward, tugging Eridan back. “Hey…Don’t wear yourself out too much, okay?” He looked down before the door swung open in a very polite manner. Karkat immediately pulled his sickles, while Dirk passed Eridan to Cronus, who wrapped his arms around the suddenly shaking troll, while Dirk’s katana appeared from nowhere, both he and Karkat standing defensively.  
“Excuse me? I believe I was told this is where Cronus had disappeared to, or rather, Meenah was complaining that somebody was monopolizing my descendant’s free time and --“   
“KANKRI, WHAT THE FUCK?!” Karkat howled. “HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THIS MYSTERIOUS SOCIAL CONCEPT CALLED KNOCKING BEFORE YOU BARGE IN HERE LIKE A THRESHECUTIONER ON SOPOR STUMBLING FROM A BAR?” The other Vantas was stood with wide innocent eyes, sweater sleeves hanging over his hands as they always did.  
Cronus’ frown had disappeared and a wide grin was spreading over his face. “Kan, you came lookin’ for me? That’s pretty damn svweet of ya…” He winked at Kankri who went a deep red.  
“I told you not to do that! It could be seen as a triggering and unwanted advance if you go around flickering your gander—your eyes as every single troll you meet!”   
Karkat groaned. “Oh, hi Karkat, how are you? Can I enter your home so I don’t barge in like a drunken hidebeast into your hive?” he muttered in a high pitched affected voice, which Dirk snorted at, while Eridan stared at the newcomer with some recognition. Karkat rolled his eyes. Of course Kankri was another person Eridan would get on with, and not be scared of. Of fucking course.   
“Kri?” Eridan asked slowly, and Kankri blinked at him, where he was in Cronus’ arms, and his face froze for a minute before turning away, eyes lowered like he didn’t want to look at them in the slightest.  
“It’s certainly nice to see that your date went so well…” he said, and Dirk blinked before sighing, pulling Eridan towards himself. This was seriously all they needed.  
“Do you not go on any chats at all?” Karkat asked, growling a little. “Because at the moment Eridan doesn’t really need any of that shit that spews nigh consistently from your gaping mouth! Do you not check your memos or—“  
“Kankri.”  
Kankri turned back to look at Cronus, who started walking towards him.   
“You need to knovw vwhat’s goin’ on before you make any assumptions, okay? Eri’s….not vwell, see. He don’t trust many people, okay?” He took Kankri’s hand slowly, not slinging his arm around his shoulders as he would do to other people, and Kankri nodded slowly, looking up at him with some semblance of trust. Karkat pretended to throw up behind his dancestor, while Eridan turned to Dirk and hugged him like a kid would when they were unsure what to do. Dirk merely rolled his eyes at Cronus and Kankri, the latter of whom was slowly turning red.  
“I would like to request that no one makes assumptions of any kind –“  
Karkat let out a small bark of laughter at that statement. “You mean like you just did, moron, after barging your way into my hive? Fucks’ sake Kankri, this shit was the opposite of secret. You think Porrim doesn’t complain to Kanaya about the way you’ve been pining after—Hey! Mmmff!”   
Dirk chuckled a little, arms around Eridan, as Kankri covered Karkat’s mouth with one sweater sleeve clad hand, eyes wide with panic. Eridan began giggling as well, as the two nubby-horned trolls grappled for a short while, and Cronus’ smile got wider.  
“Kan, what he just said…” he began, and Kankri shook his head very quickly, even his ears glowing red.   
“As I said before, I would prefer it were no one to make heinous assumptions based on how they might be seeing certain things, and most especially not any concerning myself or any romantic feelings I may be perceived by wrong eyes to harbour for any individuals!” he managed, and Dirk raised an eyebrow at him.  
“So, they are romantic feelings?” he asked, feeling Eridan’s shoulders begin to shake as he tried to repress his giggling. Kankri gaped a little at him, still bright red.  
“That is the exact opposite of what I just said to you!” he sputtered, while Cronus grinned away, and Karkat rolled his eyes, hand still over Karkat’s mouth. Dirk shook his head at Kankri.  
“No it was exactly what you just implied, through your little slip of the tongue.” Eridan continued to giggle, almost humming at the end of each giggle when he tried to stop. Kankri opened his mouth to speak, probably another denial, but it came out a shriek as he whipped his hand away.  
“Karkat, you just licked my hand! Oh, that’s gross!” he wailed, and Eridan completely lost it, breaking down into laughter while Karkat stuck his tongue out at Kankri. Cronus smiled at Kankri again.  
“Vwant me to kiss it better, Kan?” he offered, and Kankri blushed fiercely again.  
“CRONUS. THIS IS NOT THE TIME.”


	7. So You Can Make Me (Whole)

Kankri ended up staying over, and Karkat was clearly agitated by it – if by agitated you meant ‘banging his head repeatedly on the wall softly’. Kankri was sat talking gently to Eridan about something or other, Eridan answering under his breath when asked a question. They seemed, to Dirk, to be getting along, and he wondered what they could be talking about. Probably something non-threatening. He hoped so, at least. Kankri could forget personal boundaries pretty easily for someone obsessed with social justice as much as he was.

Cronus was sat with his guitar, which Kankri had apparently brought with him. He was strumming a little tune that sounded like a lullaby, almost, and Dirk suspected it was part of what was keeping Eridan so calm. However, Kankri was beginning to relax, which he did before launching into one of his big lectures that could drive a sane person mad, never mind a traumatised sea troll. Dirk plonked himself directly between them, offering an arm out to Eridan, who shifted to cling happily to him.

He smiled softly at him. The immediate trust might have started in a misguided way, but Eridan looked up at him now and then with warmth. Dirk didn’t mind at all, but Kankri was clearly uncomfortable with him there, getting up and walking over to sit primly next to Cronus.

For all Cronus’ flirting, Dirk would bet his last dollar on Kankri being the one he was truly head over heels for. Everything of Cronus relaxed around Kankri, and he simply didn’t flirt as much around him. A remark here and there, sure, but as Cronus changed the tune to something soft, Kankri gave him a small smile, and Eridan snuggled closer. He really was like a kid sometimes, like a child, if you forgot all about the whole ‘eldritch singing and reality warping without any reason to’ thing. Which was hard if you’d been taken to the bottom of the ocean because he freaked out.

Eridan was rather sweet like this. Maybe that was the intention of those awful things. A lovely little declawed pet to coo over. The idea sickened him, but Eridan snuggled into him and he lost his arguments there and then. He wanted to wrap Eridan up in something, figure out an equation to keep him safe, build a thousand robots to protect him, fight anyone who hurt him, and for the life of him, he couldn’t quite bring himself to figure out why. It would be easy to say why, to admit it, but doing that to Eridan at this point would be wrong. Even someone who…who was as intense socially as he was could see that.

And being unwanted had let him to do all sorts of mad things he wasn’t especially willing to repeat, especially with Eridan.

He wondered, as Cronus changed to a minor key and then back again, whether Eridan would ever be able to sing properly again. Whether he would be around those from his past again without losing it, whether he would quite frankly ever be right again.

Whether if he was, he would want to be around Dirk still. He kind of hoped so.

Kankri, he noticed, was beginning to close his eyes. A lot of the ‘alpha’ trolls had been surprised to need regular sleep schedules, and unlike Karkat, who just stayed up with eyes steadily getting more and more bloodshot, Kankri had not been found to have a tolerance to staying up late (which had been hilarious when it was found out). He watched Kankri’s head nod before his eyes snapped open and he sat up ramrod straight, and then grinned to himself when his eyes began to flutter shut again and he began to droop again.

Eridan was also beginning to look rather sleepy, but the gentle grip he had on Dirk meant that Dirk couldn’t move to take him to one of the other rooms in Karkat’s hive without waking him up. He suspected that despite any complaints he might later have, he would be spending another night with him on the sofa. He couldn’t say he minded too much, but it would probably be better to ask Karkat for separate sleeping arrangements sooner rather than later.

Cronus let the chord trail off. “Kan, you’re lookin’ like you need some sleep.”

Kankri puffed his chest up almost childishly. “I am _not._ ”

Eridan laughed very quietly, drowsily. Karkat made a face from across the room, where the clacking of his keyboard had been raging until it had become as much of a nice background noise as Cronus’ lullaby.

Cronus shrugged. “I’m just sayin’, it isn’t exactly the vway I vwant you to end up droolin’ owver my muscles.”

Kankri practically sprang off the sofa, falling to the floor and scrambling up and heading with a fast-paced walk for one of the other rooms in the house, snatching up one of the blankets Rose had brought and from what Dirk could see, as the older Vantas fled the room, flushing a glowing red that perfectly complimented his sweater.

Karkat made an odd snorting noise. “Hey, Cronus, are you even being serious with the whole fucking _courting_ of Kankri?” There was a grin on his face that grew wider as he levelled a stare at the older seadweller.

Cronus turned a little purple but coughed. “The really interesting thing about that is that it ain’t none of your fuckin’ business, Shoutsy McNubs.” He put down his guitar. “You knovw vwhat, I am feelin’ pretty damn tired. I think I’m gonna hit the hay.”

“Oh, no, you don’t. Grab a blanket and the armchair. I don’t want you and Kankri making out in the middle of the night.” Karkat resumed typing. “Seriously, the two of you have been going on for so long I might lock the two of you in Porrim’s hive and leave it at that. I don’t want to be woken up by the two of you – oh, fuck off!”

“I didn’t say anything!” Cronus said in an injured tone. “An’ anyvway, I ain’t forcin’ anythin’ on Kan. I vwould newver--”

“Not you. Porrim.” Karkat groaned. “Oh, nice to see that that idiot is not asleep but actually staying up and ratting me out to his lusus. Great. Fantastic. Fucking fantastic. Dirk, go hit Kankri upside the head for me and make him go to sleep, would you?”

Dirk grinned. “I’m afraid I can’t. I have a very important job of being a pillow to attend to. Why don’t you message Rose to ask her to ask Kanaya –“

“I’m not playing whisper telephone with a bunch of snarky broads!” Karkat exploded. Eridan snored in Dirk’s arms, and he smiled softly down at him, while Cronus picked up two blankets and made himself comfortable on the armchair, grumbling under his breath and fins flicking in an agitated way against his neck.

“They’ll just gang up in you if you don’t, man. And if Porrim’s scolding you now, you know she’s doing the same to Kankri and telling him to go the fuck to sleep, right? You have to know that.” He shrugged. “But hey. Your funeral, not mine.”

“Strider, your elderly ass should get up from its disgustingly fluffy setting and make it your funeral. Please, just grab your phone and crash the party before the broad throwing it tears my throat out with her pointy teeth and continues to berate me while I shamefully lie dying on the floor.”

“I’m not getting Porrim off your back, Karkat.” He ran a finger through Eridan’s hair, and almost flushed as Eridan snuggled closer to him in his sleep, cooing softly, the sensation of the other’s cheek pressed over his heart cold and yet warming him to the tips of his toes. Karkat rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re being a pillow. You Striders and your irony. Seriously, you’re like some damn lusus to him, you know? He’s already so—“

“So what?” Dirk asked, knowing his challenge read clear in his voice. Eridan twitched and shifted in his sleep, cuddling closer.

“Dependant on you. He’s not exactly going to appreciate sharing you with anyone, if you get what I mean, even when he gets better.”

“If, you mean.” Cronus shifted and shrugged. “Strider’s initiating half these cuddlin’ sessions, you knovw?”

Karkat blinked and then looked at Dirk, who could feel himself going tomato red. Dammit. Talk about throwing someone under the bus. Eridan purred and snuggled him again, and he tugged him a little further up his chest, arms wrapped around him close.

“Oh my fuck. You’re enjoying it, aren’t you? Being able to cuddle him?” Karkat grinned and held up his little handheld phone-computer-whatever-the-fuck, taking a picture with a bright flash, and Dirk jumped, Eridan waking up with a soft whine.

“It’s okay, shhhh…Go back to sleep…” He ran a hand soothingly through his hair, and Eridan carefully settled down, beginning to purr after a few minutes. Dirk lowered his shades to glare at Karkat.

“Do you mind? Him sleeping is a good thing. Don’t wake him up with being stupid.”

Karkat rolled his eyes. “You’re still blushing.”

“Oh, my God, and your continuingly embarrassing me has nothing whatsoever to do with it?” He slipped his shades back up and shifted again on the sofa. “This isn’t the time or situation to be going ‘ooh, you like so-and-so’ like a bunch of kids. Or had you forgotten what you’re dealing with?”

“Hah. Fuck off.” Karkat groaned as a series of dings echoed from the computer. “I’m going to kill him. Cronus, get a new crush. I’m going to kill Kankri for setting his stupid lusus-friend on me.”

“I’m sorry, but if you intend to harm Kankri, I’m telling Porrim vwhat you just called her.” Cronus waved a hand. “C’mon, just say sorry an’ vwe can all go to sleep. Eridan’s gonna vwake up at some point, after all.”

Karkat growled, and began typing with such force he could almost be said to be hitting the keyboard, while Dirk took off his shades and closed his eyes.

====>

Dirk wasn’t quite sure where he was.

He seemed to be floating, with something just out of reach, and every movement forward was a fight. Every time he tried to reach it, it moved further away. He was, he thought, possibly in the water, and the thing – no, the person he reached for was going deeper and deeper. He was running out of breath, but he had to reach the other person. Surely they were drowning. Somehow, Dirk couldn’t deal with that, and surged forward, breath leaving his mouth in a stream of bubbles as he dove down deeper. He began to sink faster, before the figure moved towards him with dizzying speed. A kiss was brushed over his lips, and the water vanished, a sunny beach replacing it. A beach that looked like Galveston, with giant building silhouettes that didn’t look real.

Definitely a dream. He couldn’t tell who he was looking at. Just a blurred figure. But somehow he knew they were smiling, softly, before they suddenly vanished, and he woke up, panting and sweating slightly.

Eridan seemed, when he checked, soundly asleep, not disturbed by Dirk’s stupid brain having a nightmare, cuddled to him still, even closer if possible, while Karkat appeared to have vanished off to his room, Cronus snoring loudly in his chair, tucked up in his blankets.

Had Dirk paid attention, he would have seen Eridan’s fins flaring ever so gently, and one eye open, but he was too tired to check again, eyes falling closed again. He might have noticed a small smile curve his lips, had he checked.

But he didn’t.

====>

He’d not dreamt, this time, and when he woke up he was the first awake, Eridan still snuggled close. Cronus was still snoring away in his chair, and he wondered if he could reach his phone before realising that if he tried he’d set off pins and needles in his legs. His laptop was also across the room.

Instead, he grabbed his glasses, sliding them on and then looking at Eridan, noting the way his earfins fell flat against his neck when he was asleep, how his gills fluttered slowly from the deep breathing. He was pretty sure that this went against the rules of Ignoring Your Feelings (Like A Pro) but if the person who had placed those rules saw Eridan all snuggled up against him like this and so goddamn adorable, he was sure they would give way.

He’d maybe have preferred it if he knew Eridan was going to wake up and be…properly him again. When he’d met him in the dreambubbles before, he’d been internally losing his shit over the fact that the guy was essentially a ‘tsundere’. And he really would like to someday get that Eridan back.

But Eridan was so damn cute when he was asleep and awake. It was undeniable that this Eridan was cute as all hell. And yet Dirk knew that there was a reason behind that, a reason that had taken him and harshly moulded him into this. Into something new and adorable and…pet-like.

He sighed. If only Eridan would show some sign of brattiness, of the old Eridan, like Roxy had done after a little while. It could happen. He’d make it happen, for Eridan’s sake.


End file.
